Mixture Design of various Resins'

Characterization & Compatibility / click here to get pdf 

 

 

 

The compatibility of different resins were investigated using Design of experiments 

 

Objective 

 

In the course of plenty of months different binder resins operated at the same production line. Therefore, the compatibility of different resins must be investigated. After a brainstorming session, Design of Experiment method is selected. 

As some of process experts and quality responsible in factories, which mixes different types of resins process waters without consultancy, had some precipitation concern that might grow and create serious problems. Some of the sites has already hold on production facilities due to blockages of precipitate and waiting for solution to be created.

As I heard the concerns regarding resins, I was offered this exciting and big project having both theoretical, lab work and practical site operation, which will have a big positive impact on production.

 

We started investigating this mixture had an impact on process water, which is the recycle water flow utilized in order to re-gain recycled resin, calm down the temperature of the process at particular points. Although, it is possible to produce glass wool with different binder separately, it is difficult to avoid mixing of process water due to process designs. The objectives of this project are to understand the chemical and physical compatibility of different process water’s of alternative resins focusing on interactions leading to formation of precipitation or phase split, pH change, color change etc. and issue a recommendation on % alternative resins process water that can be re-circulated into phenol process water. In addition to this, production trials and examines about pH stabilization are represented.

• Understand the chemical and physical phenomena and the compatibility of mixtures of current process water and process water of alternative resins.

i.e. Interactions leading to formation of solid or phase split, pH changes, etc. 

•  Issue a recommendation on percentage of alternative resins that can be re-circulated into phenol process water. 

 

Work Done

• All the experiments have been performed in internal R&D Laboratory.

  • pH, conductivity, viscosity, precipitation, split phase, color change has been observed to detect interactions.

  • Tests have been performed along time to check evolution.  

In the project, several experiments have been done to understand compatibility of alternative resins and current resin.

Experiments were both done by real and laboratory synthetic samples to observe the delta between them. All the experiment is created using design of experiment (DOE) tool of lean six sigma. The root cause was found after the experiment. The mixture plot were drawn and visually explained. You might see the ternary plot drawn in the project.

 

In data management, the given data like pH, conductivity, viscosity and other specs of the mixed elements were written in columns, and the outcome observation such as split phase, compatibility, color change and time of observation were recorded for each mixture.

The dark green area at the top illustrates the only area that factories might operate in. The detailed decision was made after seeing one to one comparison graphs. 

 

 

Conclusion

The speed and amount of formation was figured out depending on pH, time, solid content, density, reactivity and temperature. Then limits of alkali extra feed up was determined.

Thanks to this project, the factories that hold the production operations on started operating having a determined schedule for different product groups.

The problem was solved and all sites were informed and project report is distributed to all sites and production planning responsible and process engineers trained for chemical natural limitations of planning. After this, two projects were created to add extra alkali for planning flexibility and minimize corrosion due to alkali. Thanks to the project, marketing department forecasted the production capacity.